New Touch Technique Lets Blind Use Smartphones

The Washington University’s Accessibility Interaction and Mobility Group (AIM Group) has demonstrated a technique for how the Apple iPhone or other multi-touch phones could be made accessible to users who are blind or visually impaired, who cannot see the screen well enough to operate the phone. This technique, called the slide rule, involves the user gestural input – flicking and tapping on certain areas of the screen — and audio output. The slide rule shows the possibilities of making this popular technology more accessible to everyone.